1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to medical devices and accessories and, more particularly, to a novel dual inlet syringe adapter and a plug arrangement for use in patient feeding and drainage systems wherein greater freedom is permitted the patient and improved attendant management of the medical procedures results.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In the past, it has been the conventional medical practice to perform patient feeding and drainage procedures by installing a feeding tube at one end into a patient and releasably securing a syringe to the other end of the tube. The attendant normally holds the syringe by hand and actuates the syringe plunger for forcing fluids out of the syringe through the tube into the patient or for extracting fluids from the patient by reversing the plunger of the syringe.
Problems and difficulties have been encountered when employing conventional medical devices for performing these procedures which stem largely from the fact that most catheters, drainage tubes, feeding tubes or the like very often permit the syringe or catheter to slip from engagement with the tube and this is particularly prevalent if the tubing is used frequently or for prolonged periods of time. Also, the attending nurse must hold the syringe onto the catheter or tubing during the entire procedure such as tube feeding, irrigation or specimen collection and must fumble with the remaining hand to manipulate the syringe and the plunger as well as the specimen or feeding container and associated solutions. Furthermore, should the patient desire to substantially move or walk about, the tube may be pulled out inadvertently or the catheter may become disconnected from the syringe.
Furthermore, in some instances such as for aspiration of fluids, the attending nurse cannot readily control the amount of suction when using the plunger of the syringe and, in some instances, the use of the plunger does not provide for a gentle, intermittent pressure to coax the gravity flow of fluid which is of great advantage in a procedure for aspiration of fluid.
Therefore, a long standing need has existed to provide a dual inlet syringe adapter and catheter for the administration of feeding and drainage procedures in connection with patient care which will stand constant or repeated use and which will continue to securely hold a syringe in place on tubing employed for feeding. Also, it is advantageous to provide such a medical aid which will permit the patient to be ambulatory and which includes adapters protecting the integrity of the patient's catheter so as to present it from becoming stretched or cracked and thereby minimizing the need to change the patient too frequently.